UAW Strike Threatens Auto Industry While Climate Scientists Expose Net Zero Costs

On September 25, 2023, Kim Monson examines the United Auto Workers strike threatening the Big Three automakers and explores climate policy realities with automotive expert Lauren Fix and climate scientists Gregory Wrightstone, James Taylor, Ken Gregory, and Ron Stein, all appearing ahead of the Colorado premiere of the documentary A Climate Conversation.

Climate Scientists Challenge Crisis Narrative

Start listening at 72:18 – Hour 2

Gregory Wrightstone, executive director of the CO2 Coalition, presents data showing ecosystems thriving under current climate conditions. He announces his upcoming book, “A Very Convenient Warming,” which documents how modest temperature increases and higher CO2 levels benefit humanity through expanding agricultural production and shrinking deserts. Wrightstone notes that over 1,600 scientists, including Nobel laureate Dr. John Clauser, have signed the Clintel Declaration stating there is no climate crisis.

“We should celebrate modest warming and more CO2. Deserts are shrinking. There’s crop productions breaking records year after year, country after country.”

Gregory Wrightstone, CO2 Coalition Executive Director

Biden’s Climate Corps Creates 20,000 Activist Jobs

Start listening at 79:02 – Hour 2

James Taylor, president of the Heartland Institute, criticizes Biden’s newly announced Climate Corps program that will pay 20,000 people to work as climate activists. Taylor argues this creates a permanent constituency dependent on perpetuating climate alarmism, similar to how climate scientists’ livelihoods depend on continued warnings of crisis. He praises the documentary A Climate Conversation for presenting factual information to counter the mainstream narrative.

“What you have is the federal government paying 20,000 people to go out and be climate activists, 20,000 people whose job, whose income will be dependent upon the perpetuation of this climate extremism myth that’s out there.”

James Taylor, Heartland Institute President

EV Mining Exploits Developing Nations

Start listening at 94:21 – Hour 2

Ron Stein, co-author of Clean Energy Exploitation, exposes the ethical problems with electric vehicle production. He explains that lithium and cobalt mining in developing countries operates without environmental or labor protections, often using child labor. Stein argues that purchasing EVs financially incentivizes continued exploitation of vulnerable populations in Africa and elsewhere, while government subsidies compound the problem.

“Buying a new EV is providing financial incentives to continue exploiting people in foreign countries, continue the environmental degradation over there. And I think it’s unethical and immoral.”

Ron Stein, PTS Advance Co-founder

UAW Strike Expands to 38 Plants Nationwide

Start listening at 33:56 – Hour 1

Lauren Fix, the Car Coach, breaks down the escalating United Auto Workers strike that has now expanded to 38 plants across the country. Fix explains how leaked documents revealed UAW’s strategy to “put the screws” to manufacturers and make them “suffer slowly and painfully.” While Ford began making progress in negotiations and was spared from the latest round of shutdowns, General Motors and Stellantis face mounting pressure.

Fix warns that the strike’s impact extends far beyond autoworkers. Parts warehouses staffed by union workers mean even routine car repairs could face delays if specific components are unavailable. She notes that both Presidents Biden and Trump plan visits to the striking workers, with Biden arriving Tuesday and Trump on Thursday. The automotive expert cautions that pushing manufacturers too hard could accelerate the shift of production to non-union states or overseas, ultimately hurting the workers the UAW claims to represent.

The conversation turns to electric vehicles, where Fix recounts Ford CEO Jim Farley’s eye-opening road trip in a Lightning truck. After waiting 40 minutes at a fast charger and receiving only a 40 percent charge, Farley acknowledged the infrastructure challenges facing EV adoption. Fix notes that Ford is now pivoting to offer a mix of powertrains rather than going all-electric.

“Be careful what you ask for, no matter where you vote, remember that you have to go out and vote in 24. I don’t care who you vote for, but you must go out and vote.”

Lauren Fix, The Car Coach

Net Zero Would Cost $290 Trillion

Start listening at 87:18 – Hour 2

Ken Gregory of Friends of Science presents his research on the staggering costs of transitioning to net zero emissions. His analysis shows that replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar would require approximately $290 trillion in the United States alone, with the bulk of that cost coming from lithium-ion battery storage needed to handle variable electricity demand. Gregory notes that hydrogen storage systems, favored in some climate plans, have efficiency rates of only 15 to 35 percent, wasting enormous amounts of electricity.

“If we use wind and solar to replace fossil fuels, and wind and solar only produced the amount of energy that was required, you would need to spend around $290 trillion in the USA.”

Ken Gregory, Friends of Science